PATTERSON — A 34-year-old Patterson woman was arrested October 7 following a joint investigation by the Patterson Police Department and the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services into allegations of narcotics use and child endangerment.
According to police, DCFS began investigating in August after receiving a report that a minor child had been taken to a local hospital after ingesting medication. A subsequent drug screening reportedly showed the child tested positive for cocaine, prompting DCFS to contact Patterson police.
Investigators said additional drug screenings of Shannon Johnson’s other minor children also returned positive results for cocaine.
Police said Johnson admitted to using illegal narcotics during an interview with investigators on October 7. Based on evidence gathered during the investigation, officers arrested her at approximately 10:57 a.m.
Johnson was booked on three counts of improper supervision of a minor by a parent or legal custodian and two counts of cruelty to juveniles. At the time of the department’s release, she remained incarcerated with no bond set.
Chief Garrett Grogan thanked DCFS for its assistance and said protecting children remains a priority for the department.
The investigation is ongoing. Johnson is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
